Looking Toward 2023

So, what now?

Some of you know that in mid–2022, I moved across the country to be close to an elderly parent who had been living alone and, after some (still ongoing) medical issues, needed a helper. While I’m happy to have done this, balancing time between caregiving, the full-time job I already had, and my writing has become considerably more difficult. My social connections also went into a spiral from which they still haven’t recovered. I am an introvert, and living with a parent who, as much as I love her, is a bit desperate to be with me and know what I am doing at any given moment is challenging. Especially if what I am doing is writing about dangerous giant animal people. (She knows I’m a furry and has read some of my non-macro work, which became a double-edged sword when the bulk of my output became stuff I’m not willing to share with her.)

Now, since I’ve been out here I did write all of Big Trouble, so I know finding that time balance is possible. Even so, just as after finishing Moira, I need a brief break to regroup.

The next project has a working title of Hurricane, and if you’ve read my 2021 Halloween story “Coyote Sky” you might guess it’s about that giant storm-generating coyote. Her name is Serrano, and she’s the cousin of Chipotle, the coyote chef who appeared in Saida & Autumn.

“But wait,” you may say. “Serrano is a ’taur and a veritable storm goddess! How can she be related to Chipotle, and how can that possibly fit into Mensura?”

That, my friends, is an interesting question.

Like Chipotle, Saida, and Arilin herself, Serrano started in roleplay, and like them, I wasn’t taking any real care to establish consistency. I don’t even remember exactly how Serrano got her storm powers, although I know they came out of RP with Evalia deLune, the Shadowvixen. I also know the powers themselves haven’t stayed consistent.

So, just like “Teacher’s Pet” re-established a canonical version of Arilin and Mensura itself, and Saida & Autumn established a canonical story version of Saida (and Chipotle, albeit somewhat in the background), this next story will be charged with establishing a canonical story version of Serrano—and possibly a couple of my other associated cast members.

Assuming it comes together. There are no guarantees.

I’m going to take January “off”, but really what that means is:

• You won’t be charged for the Patreon on January 1st
• I will be trying to work out a rough outline and get going on the actual story
• I’ll make a post or two of some kind during January

As always, no guarantees of anything, as muses can be fickle, but I’ll keep you all posted!

Lastly, some of you may know that I’ve largely given up on Twitter. You can follow me on Mastodon at @arilin@mast.giants-club.net—and yes, that is a Giants’ Club Mastodon server. Just for me. All mine. Mwahaha. (ahem) I don’t know if I’m going to open it up to anyone else yet; perhaps it would be a good perk for higher patron levels? Maybe not. I don’t know. Discuss. (But here or in the Discord, not on Twitter.)

As always, thank you all for supporting me, and here’s hoping for a great new year for all of us!